NCTA Aggies excel at nationals
May 6, 2019
By NCTA News
CURTIS, Neb. – Thirty two Aggie students from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis tested their agricultural knowledge recently at a national collegiate competition in Murray, Kentucky.
Students from NCTA, known as the “Curtis ag school” and the sole two-year campus within the University of Nebraska system, competed in 12 of the 15 events for two-year colleges.
The annual competition is sponsored by the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA). Murray State College in Murray, Kentucky hosted the 2019 NACTA Student Contests.
Highlights for NCTA students were Top Overall Individual honors for Kyle Krantz of Alliance and Seth Racicky of Mason City in crops and dairy judging, respectively.
Kyle Krantz won the four-part crops contest with high overall score tying for top score in the math portion, and tying for second top score in the laboratory section.
The NCTA crops team placed third, overall, in crops. Catherine Ljunggren of Aurora was the only contestant among 48 individuals to turn in a perfect 100 points in plant identification.
Seth Racicky won the two-part dairy judging contest with top combined score in class placings and in oral reasons. The NCTA team won second place among six teams.
NCTA student placings in the top 10:
- Kyle Krantz of Alliance, high overall individual (of 48 contestants) in crops and crops math
- Seth Racicky of Mason City, high overall individual (of 25) in dairy judging and in oral reasons
- Catherine Ljundggren of Aurora, 1st (of 48) in plant identification portion of the crops contest
- Blake McCormick of Lewellen, 1st (of 12) in welding practicum of ag mechanics
- Colbey Luebbe of Seward, 2nd high individual (of 12) in horticulture
- Rebecca Saddler of Aurora, 4th (of 12) in horticulture
- Jarrod Tuttle of Eltopia, Washington, 4th (of 12) in ag mechanics
- Baily Fleischman of Tekamah, 5th (of 28) in ag business
- Garrett Lapp, Adamsville, Ohio, 6th (of 25) in dairy judging
- Emily Riley of Norton, Kansas, 7th (of 25) in dairy judging
- Remy Mansour of Petaluma, California, 7th (of 68) in livestock judging
- Camden Wilke of Columbus, 7th (of 26) in livestock management
- Jacob Vallery of Plattsmouth, 8th (of 48) in crops
- Grant Romshek of Shelby, 9th (of 26) in livestock management
- Kallie Hilker of Cambridge, 9th (of 22) in business communication
The team competitions were again fierce among some of the larger events for individual number of competitors and teams such as livestock judging, livestock management and crops.
Aggie teams placed:
- 2nd place (of 6 teams) in dairy judging
- 2nd place (of 3) in horticulture
- 3rd place (of 12) in crops
- 3rd place (of 3) in ag mechanics
- 4th (of 7) in agribusiness
- 4th (of 6) in computer applications
- 4th (of 5) in equine judging
- 5th (of 12) in livestock management
- 7th (of 12) in livestock judging
Aggie students apply what they learn in their college classes and experiential learning opportunities at NCTA.
The contest draws nearly 600 students from two- and four-year colleges across the U.S. and Canada.
“The NACTA Judging Conference provides our students an excellent career-based learning experience,” said Brad Ramsdale, Ph.D., agronomy and agricultural mechanics division chair.
“It is great to be part of an event supported by numerous agricultural colleges and universities,” he said.
Along with Ramsdale, coaches were Doug Smith, Ph.D., animal science and agriculture education division chair, and Mary Rittenhouse, chair of agribusiness management systems.
Ramsdale supervised four teams: agricultural mechanics, precision agriculture, horticulture and crops. Dan Stehlik is NCTA's instructor for welding and ag mechanics which includes irrigation technicians, electricity and engines.
Smith’s four teams were dairy, equine and livestock judging, plus students in livestock management. Animal science faculty are Joanna Hergenreder, equine management, and Meredith Cable, feedlot management and nutrition.
“The students worked hard and competed exceptionally well at NACTA,” Smith said. “A lot of time was put in on preparation and NCTA was well represented by these young professionals.”
From agribusiness management systems, Rittenhouse coordinated three teams with Associate Professor Jeremy Sievers and Lecturer Dave Jibben. Students competed in ag business, ag computer applications, and agricultural communications (sales).
“In addition to providing students an opportunity to test their abilities and skills on a national level, NACTA also provides bridges for our students to continue to develop these abilities and skills in their chosen fields,” Rittenhouse said.
“Two-year students are exposed to opportunities in the four-year schools and in ag careers, as well,” she added.
The national contest was the final major competition of the 2018-2019 academic year.
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